Hill's Pet Nutrition Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
Dry Extruded · complete
Our verdict
Is Hill's Pet Nutrition Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe a good dog food?
We score it 36/100 (Poor). The main reasons are set out in "Why you might not" below, and every step of the calculation is shown under "How we calculated this score".
100% of this recipe has no printed percentage. Estimated shares are model estimates, not label facts.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for puppies
- Doesn't list beef, turkey, lamb, venison, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists fish oil
- Your dog avoids pork: it is listed as an ingredient
- Your dog avoids grain: the label lists rice - brown / whole grain
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Find foods that fit your dog.
Nutrition and feeding
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed | Dry matter | Directory average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | - | 27.80% | 37.69% (137 eligible foods) |
| Fat | - | 19% | 23.89% (134 eligible foods) |
| Fibre | - | 2.50% | 3.81% (135 eligible foods) |
| Carbohydrates | - | 42.40% | 30.63% (76 eligible foods) |
Energy: 374.7 kcal/100g
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Feeding guide
Weight of Dog - lbs (kgs) | Amount per Day - cups (grams) - Growth less than 4 months (Pregnancy weeks 7 - 9) | Amount per Day - cups (grams) - Growth 4 to 9 months (Pregnancy weeks 5 - 6) | Amount per Day - cups (grams) - Growth 10 to 12 months (Pregnancy weeks 1 - 4) 2 (0,9) | 1/2 (50) | 3/8 (40) | 1/3 (35) 5 (2,3) | 1 (105) | 7/8 (90) | 2/3 (70) 8 (3,6) | 1 3/8 (145) | 1 1/8 (120) | 7/8 (90)
No additives recorded yet.
Ingredients (23)100% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- carb 30.7%
- meat 19.8%
- oil 12.4%
- fibre 11.6%
- supplement 10.8%
- additive 8.1%
- veg 6.7%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicken | Chicken | meat · medium | - | 5.7 |
| 2 | Brown Rice | Rice - brown / whole grain | carb · medium | - | 5.6 |
| 3 | Whole Grain Wheat | Wheat | carb · poor | - | 5.5 |
| 4 | Chicken Meal | Dried chicken protein | meat · good | - | 5.3 |
| 5 | Chicken Fat | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil · good | - | 5.2 |
| 6 | Whole Grain Corn | Whole-Grain Maize | carb · medium | - | 5.1 |
| 7 | Whole Grain Oats | Oats | carb · medium | - | 5.0 |
| 8 | Pea Protein | Pea protein | carb · medium | - | 4.8 |
| 9 | Soybean Meal | Soybean Meal | carb · poor | - | 4.7 |
| 10 | Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor | Chicken | meat · medium | - | 4.6 |
| 11 | Ground Pecan Shells | Ground Pecan Shell | fibre · poor | - | 4.5 |
| 12 | Dicalcium Phosphate | Dicalcium phosphate | supplement · medium | - | 4.3 |
| 13 | Lactic Acid | Lactic Acid | additive · medium | - | 4.2 |
| 14 | Pork Liver Flavor | Liver | meat · good | - | 4.1 |
| 15 | Soybean Oil | Soybean oil | oil · medium | - | 4.0 |
| 16 | Iodized Salt | Salt | additive · poor | - | 3.9 |
| 17 | Flaxseed | Linseed | veg · good | - | 3.7 |
| 18 | Dried Beet Pulp | Beet Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 3.6 |
| 19 | Dried Citrus Pulp | Citrus Pulp | fibre · medium | - | 3.5 |
| 20 | Potassium Chloride | Potassium Chloride | supplement · medium | - | 3.4 |
| 21 | Fish Oil | Fish Oil | oil · good | - | 3.2 |
| 22 | Choline Chloride | Choline | supplement · good | - | 3.1 |
| 23 | Pressed Cranberries | Cranberries | veg · good | - | 3.0 |
- 1. Chicken5.7% estimated
- 2. Brown Rice5.6% estimated
- 3. Whole Grain Wheat5.5% estimated
- 4. Chicken Meal5.3% estimated
- 5. Chicken Fat5.2% estimated
- 6. Whole Grain Corn5.1% estimated
- 7. Whole Grain Oats5.0% estimated
- 8. Pea Protein4.8% estimated
- 9. Soybean Meal4.7% estimated
- 10. Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor4.6% estimated
- 11. Ground Pecan Shells4.5% estimated
- 12. Dicalcium Phosphate4.3% estimated
- 13. Lactic Acid4.2% estimated
- 14. Pork Liver Flavor4.1% estimated
- 15. Soybean Oil4.0% estimated
- 16. Iodized Salt3.9% estimated
- 17. Flaxseed3.7% estimated
- 18. Dried Beet Pulp3.6% estimated
- 19. Dried Citrus Pulp3.5% estimated
- 20. Potassium Chloride3.4% estimated
- 21. Fish Oil3.2% estimated
- 22. Choline Chloride3.1% estimated
- 23. Pressed Cranberries3.0% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-18
Brand and contact: Hill's Pet Nutrition
- Website
- https://www.hillspet.com/
- Contact page
- www.hillspet.com
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-18
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.hillspet.com
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Brand and retailer reviews
External platform ratings are not scores for this individual recipe.
Trustpilot: 3.0/5 · 3 reviews
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
This recipe achieves an overall rating of 36 out of 100 based on several key factors. The overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +2.7 points to the total. However, the presence of ingredients without printed percentages reduced the score by -10.6. Furthermore, the processing format decreased the score by -6.7, and the carbohydrate content lowered the final result by -3.8.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.3 | 9.191 | +2.70 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 32.8% | -0.115 | -3.77 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 14.9% | -0.092 | -1.37 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 4.6% | -0.005 | -0.02 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 8.8% | 0.163 | +1.43 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 12.0% | -0.012 | -0.15 |
| Recipe graded poor | 18.5% | -0.065 | -1.20 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 4 | -0.876 | -3.50 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.5% | 0.060 | +0.33 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| Additive penalty | -9.77 | 0.222 | -2.17 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.3 | 9.191 | +2.70 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.096 | +0.00 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 32.8% | -0.115 | -3.77 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 14.9% | -0.092 | -1.37 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 4.6% | -0.005 | -0.02 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 8.8% | 0.163 | +1.43 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 12.0% | -0.012 | -0.15 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 18.5% | -0.065 | -1.20 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 4 | -0.876 | -3.50 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 5.5% | 0.060 | +0.33 |
| Undeclared quantities | 100.0% | -0.106 | -10.56 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | no | 2.294 | +0.00 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | no | 0.707 | +0.00 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | yes | -3.158 | -3.16 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.180 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | -9.77 | 0.222 | -2.17 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 6.629 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 6.331 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.174 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.146 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- +0.02
- Subtotal
- 35.9
- Final score
- 36/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
Analytical constituents not declared
No nutritional additives section declared on the label.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (voluntary) - not on file | 0/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) - not on file | 0/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) | 5/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 5/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Analytical constituents declared, Additives declared, Batch and date labelling).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
See all current recalls we track.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.
100/100 · moderate — 1 checkable claim: 1 consistent, 0 contradicted.
Consistent with the label
- "Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that Hill's Science Diet Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe provides complete and balanced nutrition for growing puppies and gestating or lactating adult female dogs." — supported by the declared complete and balanced data.
8 further claims on file that we cannot check against the label.
Moderate: every checkable claim is consistent with the declared label.
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vital nutrients to support 5 essential building blocks for lifelong health (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Growing bones and teeth supported by balanced minerals (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Healthy brain development and training supported by DHA and Fish Oil (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Developing immune system supported by antioxidant blend (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Growing muscles fueled by high quality proteins (on pack) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Great tasting natural* nutrition for a long, happy life (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Made in the USA with global ingredients you can trust (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that Hill's Science Diet Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe provides complete and balanced nutrition for growing puppies and gestating or lactating adult female dogs. (on pack) | Content | consistent | Manufacturer assertion |
| Contains ActivBiome+ Digestion, a special blend of prebiotic fibers to support the gut microbiome and digestive system (on pack) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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